April 29, 2017 By Christian Murray
Plans to overhaul the Queensbridge Park House were unveiled Thursday, with city officials announcing that $3 million will be spent on redoing the dilapidated space that has been out of use for decades.
The Park’s old field house, which was built in 1941, will be demolished and replaced by a new 15,500 square foot facility. The new field house will include a community room, an office area for Parks staff, a public restroom, and storage space for the park’s maintenance equipment. It will be also be surrounded by an outdoor plaza area complete with seating, bicycle racks and drinking fountains.
Work on the park is expected to begin in fall, with the project expected to take 12-18 months to complete.
Funds to renovate the Park House were allocated by Councilman Jimmy Bramer as part of an effort to improve Queensbridge Park.
Van Bramer said he has directed $6 million of city funds toward Queensbridge Park since he took office a little over seven years ago. He said that $3.4 million was spent to fix the crumbling seawall with a 6-foot wide promenade, benches, plantings, and a small wharf.
“One of my top priorities since taking office has been to improve Queensbridge Park for the seniors, families, and children of Queensbridge and Western Queens that use this park to enjoy nature, play team sports, and take in the breathtaking views,” Van Bramer said.
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22 Comments
Queens (and particularly L.I.C.) is losing just about all of it history and character for costly run-of-the-mill architecture. The original New Deal era/1930s structure should be saved and restored. Not only is it quite attractive but it is also symbolic of what Mayor LaGuardia and President Roosevelt managed to bring to New York City parks during the Great Depression.
How come 95% of the people in those renderings are white? Apparently artist has never been to QB Park.
Does a city council member control what gets built on a plot of private land? Or does the landlowner just get s permit to build as long as they have the right permits. You want gov’t to stay out of your personal business but when you don’t like it you want them to interfere in private business because you said so. You fear change. Though infrastructure is a concern, the same thing has happened in nyc year after year after year in different neighborhoods. Downtown manhattan, upper manhattan,.. brooklyn, queens. Infrastructure has to catch up but you just complaining does nothing. You want to stop everything and have no more development so you can enjoy living in the past? Did any local artists apply or send in their art to be considered? Where is the artist from if you know he is not from the neighborhood? Is it van bramer who commissioned the art piece or was it the public arts commission who voted on it and placed it without community input? This makes everyone wonder, what do you get out of it with your anti-Jimmy agenda on every single post?
Jimmy Van Bramer is all for more development than we need (plus 68 hotels for the area ,why? Why does he want over crowded trains, streets and sidewalks? Why did he give us that $500,000 Pepto Bismol statue without asking the community or using a Local Artist? It just makes you wonder what is he getting out of it?
That is unbelievable! First off, the building being replaced was a beautiful brick structure with a nice round roof. If it is cheaper to replace it fine, but why has it been left to rot for so long? Second, how on earth can that new structure be worth over $3,000,000.00!? You can build a mansion with a tennis court and a swimming pool in Connecticut on expensive land in Greenwich for that kind of money. This will be a garage, bathroom and community room. Will there be a swimming pool? Why is it that nobody calls the city out on this stuff. That building should cost less than a million.
please move to conn to your rich land and mansion if you hate it here so much. Please itemize your reasoning for why the cost is < $1M?
Huh. I love it here. That was just an example. Duh. Do I really need to itemize? Why don’t you tell me why it is $3,000,000.00? You union guys are a fraternity of morons. Why don’t you go stand on a corner with a whistle and an inflatable rat like your other mob, I mean union, buddies.
you have no argument based on any facts or relevance. So you just a troll.
I’m not a union guy but don’t think that matters here. Why you so mad? Why no facts ?
Stop changing your names. Do you have multiple personalities or is it your job to down vote people you start troll wars with?
“Van Bramer said he has directed $6 million of city funds toward Queensbridge Park since he took office a little over seven years ago”
He’s relying on voter stupidity: The City Council does not direct the city budget, and he does not have $6 million in discretionary for his district, let alone just this park. Someone in Parks thought it was a good idea, and he’s taking credit for it.
yes they do, some direct and indirect ways and thru negotiations. Given he’s majority leader, i would think he has some sway on projects. Read up, seems you’re the one misinformed. http://council.nyc.gov/budget/process/
Why does everyone have some kind of agenda against jimmy? I’m not saying I’m his advocate, i disagree with some things, but at least have some real arguments or i might have to say it… fake…. wait for it….
Why don’t JVB fix the ball fields themselves. The fields only get mowed before softball season and before the fall snowflake season.This means the grass grows so thick in the summer the ball stops before reaching the outfield. The infield is bumpy and the outfield is uneven also, The field house fix is fine but the park the people use for sports goes wanting.
…and $3,000,000.00! Seriously! Unions gone bad. That building should be less than a million.
you have no idea what the cost should be so how do you know if $3M is high or low? Yes, I would ask them to hire you for $10/hour for manual labor and no health insurance or worker protections. Would you take that job so you can have a house for $1M?
Common sense and logic.
seems like you have none. when your opinions are illogical, people then to ignore you.
duh
Give me a break. Do you think we are all stupid? That is not a house. It is a glorified bathroom and storage building. The city of NY should be able to build that THING for a lot less. Period.
Actually it’s going to be a recreational center as it was years ago. Do your research! You’re probably one of the people who live nowhere in this area and just runs track around the field fast enough to get away from the projects. Jealous much!
Sad. I have been hoping they would renovate that beautiful old brick building with the round roof has been slowly caving in. These old buildings should be appreciated rather than left to rot. New construction these days is an embarrassment to our once great country.
I agree that the original building was nice, and should be preserved. It’s probably the nicest feature of that park. But what’s your problem with unions?
Unions are good but they have gotten a little out of control. I am guessing the cost is partially due to unions. I was going to have a wedding party in Manhattan but the union fee made the cost too much for us. This union fee was referred to as the “unlock the doors” fee. Union salaries also have gotten too high in many industries. Half my family are plumbers and my grandfather never became a union shop. He always referred to them as crooks.